*2.1. Leishmania Strains and Culture*

Promastigotes of the Peruvian *L. braziliensis* strain PER005 (MHOM/PE/01/LH2182(PER005)) [34] clone 2 (clone originally derived from a clinical isolate), *L. donovani* 1S (MHOM/SD/62/1S) [35], *L. major* 5-ASKH (MHOM/SU/73/5-ASKH) [36], and their genetically modified derived lines reported in this study were routinely grown at 25 ◦C in monophasic M199 medium (Sigma-Aldrich, München, Germany) supplemented with 20% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum (Sigma-Aldrich), 10 mg/L hemin, 100 µM adenine, 5 µM 6-biopterin, 40 mM HEPES (pH 7.4), 2 mM L-glutamine, 100 units/ml penicillin and 100 µg/mL streptomycin (hereafter referred as complete M199 medium) [37,38]. Cultures were subcultured to fresh medium every 3–4 days. Appropriate selection drugs were added to the medium when necessary as indicated below. The isolation and use of ex vivo macrophage progenitor cells from mice was duly registered with the Animal Protection Authority of the State of Hamburg and in accordance with the German Animal Protection Law.

## *2.2. Promastigote Cultivation*

Promastigotes were grown in complete M199 medium in 25 cm<sup>2</sup> cell culture flasks. Cell density was monitored using a CASY® Cell Counter and Analyzer (Roche, Mannheim, Germany).
